Tile for Forming Floors

ABSTRACT

Improved tile ( 1 ) for forming floors, which comprises a laminar body that has joining and engagement means consisting of projecting portions ( 2 ) and grooved portions ( 3 ) on at least one of the exterior sides of the laminar body for coupling to another identical or similar tile with complementary joining and engagement means, for covering a floor, provision also having been made for separating means for the formation of at least two independent tile portions ( 10 ), each provided with the joining- and engagement-means portions for joining and coupling to the joining and engagement means located on the exterior side of a tile ( 1 ). In this way, the tile ( 1 ) may be divided rapidly and simply into a number of sections with different dimensions, this being very useful for final portions or comers during the assembly of floating floors where, customarily, the last piece is of smaller size.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention refers to an improved panel for flooring that brings significant innovations and advantages compared to other panels with the same purpose.

More specifically it relates to an improved panel for flooring that has a laminar body with a generally rectangular or square shape that has means of connection and fitting together made by sections of tongues and grooves on at least one of the outer sides of the laminar body so as to fit into another similar or equal panel with complementary means of connection and fitting together.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Rectangular panels are widely known that can be connected to each other for the formation of floating floors in internal or external areas such as swimming pools, terraces, etc., which have means for their connection and fitting together, such as, for example, a linking system of tongues and grooves on the outer edges of the panel so as to fit into complementary panels by any of the four sides.

However, during the fitting of floating floors by means of these panels, it is usual in the final stage of fitting that the last part to be covered with the floating floor has some dimensions that are smaller than the size of the panel, hence the fitter must cut the panel in the best way possible, on the majority of the occasions this producing an irregular shaped cut.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed for the purpose of providing an improved panel aimed at solving the previously stated disadvantages, in addition bringing other advantages that will be evident from the description that is attached below.

The improved panel of the invention is intended for the arrangement of floors known as floating floors, being of the type that is made up of an essentially laminar body with a rectangular or square shape that has means of connection and fitting together made of sections of tongues and grooves on at least one side of the laminar body so as to fit to another panel that has the same or similar shape by some complementary means for connecting and fitting together to cover the floor, and characterised in that in addition it has means of separation so as to form at least two independent panel portions, each one of the portions having been provided with means of connection and fitting together for fixing and connecting with the connection and fitting means placed on the outer side of the panel.

By preference, the separation means are made up with a plurality of grooves for cutting arranged in one or more directions that partially or completely cross the panel.

Thanks to these characteristics, a panel is obtained of the previous type that can be divided in a simple and quick manner into various portions with differing dimensions, making it very useful for the final sections or corners during the fitting of floating floors where normally the last panel to be fitted is smaller than the size of the panel, and in turn retaining the same type of internal fixing as the outer areas of the panel hence making the assembly almost immediate.

Also, preferentially, the connecting and fitting means of the portions have grooves placed along the grooves for cutting on one or both sides of said grooves for cutting.

Other characteristics and advantages of the improved panel object of this present invention will become clear from a description of a preferred embodiment, but it is not exclusive, the drawings that are attached are by way of illustration but without being in any way limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DESIGNS

FIG. 1.—It is a plan view of an improved panel for flooring according to the invention;

FIG. 2.—It is a plan view of a quadrangular portion of a panel of the invention appearing in the previous figure;

FIG. 3.—It is a plan view of a rectangular portion of a panel of the invention; and

FIG. 4.—It is a perspective view corresponding to an improved panel with strips attached above.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an improved panel for flooring that includes a laminar body (1) of an injection mouldable plastic material with a square shape, having means of connection and fitting made by tongues (2) and grooves sections (3) on the four sides of the laminar body (1) in order to fit it to another panel that is the same or similar with complementary connection and fitting means so as to cover the floor, in addition having means of separation so as to form at least two independent portions of the panel, each one of the portions being provided with means of connection and fitting so as to connect and fit to a panel.

The means of separation consist of a plurality of grooves for cutting (4) arranged in one or more directions, this means, diagonally or perpendicularly to them, that partially or completely cross the laminar body (1).

In regard to the connecting and fitting means of the portions there are grooves (5) located along the various grooves for cutting (4) on one or both sides of each groove for cutting as in a system of tongues and grooves.

As can be seen in the attached figure, the laminar body can be divided, for example, into four equal quadrangles (10) (shown by broken lines) or multiple rectangular portions and at the same time, each portion (10) can be sub-divided into other rectangular portions. FIG. 2 shows one of the portions (10) cut whilst in FIG. 3 a rectangular cut portion of the portion (10) can be seen, in this way showing that a variety of arrangements can be made by means of a simple cut that the panel of the invention allows.

The panel has been thought out basically for receiving on top, for example, some wooden strips (7). Due to the structure of the panel described there is also the possibility of modifying the direction of the wooden strips (7), in order to make the re-installation of the wooden strips easier and in a quick and simple manner and thus allowing the cutting of the panel in a new direction if so required, being able to assemble the floor with wooden strips (7) in two perpendicular directions. On the other hand, as can be seen from upper left part on the inside of the laminar body (1) of FIG. 1 there are some changeable protrusions or tongues (6) that can be used in the event of breakage of any of the protruding tongues (2) or to make pre-determined designs and finishes easier.

The details, shapes, sizes and other accessorial elements, likewise the materials used in the manufacture of the improved panel of the invention can be appropriately substituted by others that are technically equivalent and do not stray away from the essentiality of the invention or the scope defined by the claims that are included below. 

1. Improved panel for flooring, comprising a laminar body with a rectangular or square shape that has means of connection and fitting made of tongues and grooves on at least one side of the laminar body so as to fit to another panel that is the same or similar, having complementary means of connection and fitting to cover the floor, wherein in addition it has means of cutting so as to form at least two independent panel portions, each one of the portions having been provided with means of connection and fitting for connecting and coupling with the connection and fitting means on the outer side of a panel.
 2. Improved panel according to claim 1, wherein the means of separation consist of a plurality of grooves for cutting arranged in one or more directions that partially or completely cross the panel.
 3. Improved panel according to claim 1 wherein the means for connection and fitting of the portions are grooves along the grooves for cutting on one or both sides of each groove for cutting. 